Wouldn’t it be nice to know the temperature outside simply by looking at the color of the light on your nightstand? Or know when your teenager is driving above the speed limit? With Stringify, you can do all of these things and much more right from your smart device.

Unlike IFTTT, with Stringify you can create multiple actions from one trigger, so it’s not just a one-to-one variation. And thanks to a recent app update, Stringify users can now share Flows with family and friends as well as share them via social media.

Better still, Stringify includes a collection of Flow directly on the app that you can tap to activate or customize so that you aren’t starting from scratch.

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Currently, Stringify is only available on iOS, although an Android app is set to arrive shortly. Once you download Stringify from the App Store, you’ll be asked to create a free account and verify your email address.

The Stringify app features four main sections: Things, Flows, Control Shortcuts, and Discover.

Digital Things can include Evernote, Twitter, Instagram, and more. You can also create Flows that use your phone’s notification system, location, and email.

Adding Your Things

Stringify needs to know what Things are available in your home. The best way to do this is to select “New” from the top right of the main Things screen. From here, you’ll see the current list of physical and digital items. You’ll also notice a few colored buttons on this list, including Blue, Green, Orange, and Purple.

To connect a new item, select it from the list. From the next screen, tap “Connect.” From here, you’ll be asked to verify your account for the Thing you’d like to add. As they are activated, physical and digital items are automatically added to the Things page.

A word about those buttons. Stringify Buttons give you immediate control over any Flow. Just like any other Thing, connect it as a Trigger in your Flow and the Stringify Button will automatically show in My Things.

About Those Flows

Once you add a few Things, go to the Flows page. From here, you’ll see a running list of Flows plus a link to Starter Flows. The latter are processes recommended by Stringify for new users.

Flows can take many forms. The most basic Flow is when there is one Trigger and one Action. You can also add Only If conditions to further enhance your Flow. Or you can extend the Flow further by adding more Actions. To set up Flows, start by selecting your Things by putting them in the order they should take place.

Examples:

Basic – When it’s sunrise, get the weather report.

Only If — When it’s sunrise, get the weather report, only if I’m at home.

More Actions — When it’s sunrise, get the weather report, and email me the report.

Control Shortcuts and Discover

After a while, you’re probably going to have a lot of Things and Flows added to Stringify. For some of these, you might want to activate them manually. Here is where Control Shortcuts come in. You can add important Things and Flows right to the Stringify home screen for easy access.

Discover is just that, a place to find new Flows to add. This list often changes as Stringify becomes compatible with more Things. Check it often for updates.

Make Your Life Easier With These Examples

Now that we’ve given you an overview of Stringify, it’s time to get to work and add some Flows related to home automation that you might find beneficial. With each of these examples, it’s assumed that you have already added the physical items necessary and have set them up as Things in Stringify.

On the Over the Limit page,drag your finger from the Automatic icon to the Email icon.

Select the Email icon. Under Actions select “Send me an email.” Click the “+” next to Subject and select “Speeding Detected At,” then hit Done. Next, click the “+” next to Message and select “Speed MPH,” then Done.

Under Flows, you’ll now see “Temperature Change.” When the temperature in the basement drops to 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the Nest will increase the temperature by 2 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Future

Stringify is a promising new service. In a short period of time, it has added compatibility with some of the most popular smart devices on the market. It will be interesting to see what new integrations are added in the coming months.

Home automation software is becoming a very big deal and products like Stringify are leading the way. To make your life a lot easier, take apps such as IFTTT and Stringify out for a spin. You’ll never know what you might find next.

Bryan Wolfe loves new technology. His focus is on Apple and Windows-based products, as well as smart home gadgets. When he's not playing around with the newest smartphone or tablet, you'll find him watching Netflix, HBO, or AMC. Or test driving new cars.